Today’s Idea, Tomorrow’s Solution: Innovating Our Way Forward

The GIPC’s 6th Annual IP Summit on September 30th was a great success, as policy makers, business leaders, academics, and media joined together to discuss the importance of innovation and creativity to job creation and economic growth.

Chamber President Tom Donohue kicked us off and made headlines by highlighting a GIPC Green Jobs study which determined that the U.S. could lose a million jobs and major export markets if compulsory licensing was made part of a global climate change agreement. Donohue spoke about these same threats to the pharmaceutical industry, and talked about the growing problems of online piracy and counterfeiting. Donohue also called on the Administration, Congress and business to come together as soon as the IPEC is confirmed to devise and implement a comprehensive, national IP strategy as the next major step in fulfilling the PRO-IP Act.

Ambassador Ron Kirk made clear that IP is crucial to the U.S. and global economy. Kirk noted that USTR is committed to using the Special 301 process to protect IP and enhance US trade opportunities. He also spoke about compulsory licensing and how it hurts companies, innovation, and jobs; said that IP rights must be respected worldwide as part of the administration’s “enforcement” agenda; and was hopeful that Brazil would not cross-retaliate on IP due to U.S. cotton subsidies.

We also heard from House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Howard Berman, who continued to advocate his steadfast support for intellectual property as he answered questions across a broad range of issues, as well as new USPTO head David Kappos, who spoke about his plans to clear the current patent backlog and overcome budget shortfalls.

Our panels, which focused on job growth and next steps for innovation and creativity, offered lively debate and discussion with experts from the field. The first panel, particularly, had several good exchanges with regard to on-line piracy and the threats facing the creative industry.

The summit also provided GIPC a prime opportunity to roll out our Faces of IP project, which profiles small and medium sized companies, and their IP related success. Many of our “faces” joined us at the summit, and shared their stories.

The event was a great success, and served as an opportunity to focus on the tasks ahead as the GIPC moves forward in efforts to protect, promote, and enforce IP.